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My name is Dave and I am very happy to be joining you all. Many thanks to krid for pointing me in this direction

My first exposure to Buddhism came through the writings of Neil Gunn while I was living in Scotland. For many years afterwards, my dharma practice centered around the Thai forest tradition, which I appreciated for its simplicity and its use of the natural world as a teaching tool for many of our experiences (I'm an environmental educator).

Since moving to Canada a few years ago, I have had much more exposure to Zen and Suzuki's writing in particular, but have had very little opportunity to practice with a community. I am very thankful to have been introduced to this sangha and am looking forward to learning, sitting, and sharing with all of you.

Re: GREETINGS BY NEW FOLKS (March)

Re: GREETINGS BY NEW FOLKS (March)

Hello Everyone

a liitle about myself:

- 45 year old male, happily married with 2 children
- I work in our local hospital
- I live in the South West of England
- I have been practicing for 5 years or so, sitting most days for 30 minutes in the morning.
- I am a keen runner, reader of fiction & watcher of films

Re: GREETINGS BY NEW FOLKS (March)

Re: GREETINGS BY NEW FOLKS (March)

Hello to everyone in the Treeleaf Zendo!

I'm Clare and I'm just writing to introduce myself.

I learnt of the treeleaf sangha through my husband Kev who has been registered for a while.

I have been practising zazen for about 2 years and am part of a local group were I live in the UK, that is under the guidance of the Soto Zen Abbey at Throssel Hole in Northumberland. However, things have slipped a little recently as I had a baby in December and as you can imagine, it's been great but hectic. Life is beginning to calm down now and I have decided to join treeleaf zendo as I have been impressed by the ethos of the community and feel it would provide good focus for my practice.

I look forward to getting involved, when I can grab a spare moment!
gassho,
Clare

Re: GREETINGS BY NEW FOLKS (March)

Re: GREETINGS BY NEW FOLKS (March)

Hello and happy Easter to all,
My name is Greg and I'm happy to be joining this unique sangha here at Treeleaf. I have been interested in Buddhism and Taoism for many years, joining the Milwaukee Zen Center in 2004. Sadly, I haven't visited that sangha in over a year but hopefully I shall once again. They're a very knowledgeable and inviting organization.
But, happily, we have this Treeleaf group. I want to thank Jundo, very much, for putting forth the time and effort required for such an endeavor. It is truly an act of kindness and compassion on the part of all who give their time and expertise to this site.
I look forward to contemplating the words and insights of all who enter here. Thanks.

Re: GREETINGS BY NEW FOLKS (March)

Hi, my name is Alan. I live in deep east Texas where the nearest Buddhist "place" is about an hour drive away (if I hurry, which seems oxymoronic), so I am glad to find this "place" right here at my fingertips. I've been practicing for about 4 years now, but even when I lived where a sangha was close I rarely attended, but now I feel I am ripe enough to attend here. I am lucky enough to have a right profession by being a college professor teaching rehabilitation. Well, technically I am still an instructor until I defend my dissertation in a couple of weeks. This will be a big accomplishment, but I am trying to be equanimous about it and realize it is not-me that is going through the process of no-outcome.

Re: GREETINGS BY NEW FOLKS (March)

Re: GREETINGS BY NEW FOLKS (March)

Hello, my name is Alef (or Gaijin if you prefer calling me that) and I'm from Stockholm, Sweden.
I've been interested in Buddhism for several years, but I didn't start practicing zazen (shikantaza) until about two months ago, when I figured out what Zen was all about. Actually, I have no idea why I'm doing it, but somehow something makes me …
I haven't had any opportunity to sit with a group or anything yet, there is still to find something appropriate.
Other than that, I enjoy doing whatever, whether it's doing the dishes, listening to music, writing or just sitting.

Re: GREETINGS BY NEW FOLKS (March)

Re: GREETINGS BY NEW FOLKS (March)

Hello,

My name is Glenn. I've had an interest in Buddhism for some time. I've read books, visited websites, lurked forums, and finally decided to put all that down and do something about it. So now it's time to sit.

I live two hours from Minneapolis, so sitting with a group isn't easy for me, especially since I have three daughters that I need to help take care of.

Re: GREETINGS BY NEW FOLKS (March)

Hi,

I'm Louise and I've just started sitting regularly (I hope) after 'thinking' about it for 25 years (better late than never!) so I'm really pleased to have found this place. I think it is such a good idea to have a virtual community to sit with. It's really helped me get to the cushion and stay there. Thanks!

Re: GREETINGS BY NEW FOLKS (March)

Hi Louise, Hi Rex, Welcome!!

Thanks for the link Rex, but the only Finnish word I know is "sisu" and it wasn't anywhere in that book. Well that's not true, I know a few other Finnish words, but they shouldn't be posted where children might see them

Re: GREETINGS BY NEW FOLKS (March)

Glenn, Louise, and Rex,
Welcome to Treeleaf! I am glad you are here!

Glenn, I have three sons and find it challenging to make it to a zendo for regular sitting. Not only is the Treeleaf community close to your fingertips, you actually communicate more with people than I think you would in weekly sitting in person....

Louise, I too have spent a long time with books and thinking about Buddhism and it has been wonderful to just sit!

Rex, I am interested to learn more about Zen in Finland - I travel to Norway frequently and there are a few active Rinzai and Soto groups in Oslo.

Re: GREETINGS BY NEW FOLKS (March)

Just a note to observe that the Helsinki Zen Center appears to be in the "Sambokyodan" lineage, not Soto Zen. As folks know who have heard this mentioned by me many times before, that is only important as Sambokyodan has traditionally been a lineage with an extremely hard focus on "Koan" centered Zen to attain "Kensho" experiences (as described in the book "Three Pillars of Zen"). That is quite different (same but different) from the "Just Sitting" Shikantaza Zazen of traditional Soto. It would mean, for example, that some of the ways of teaching and phrasing the teachings from that lineage would be very different (same but different) from what you might hear from me or another Soto teacher of "Just Sitting".

We practice zen according to the lineage that was established by the Japanese master, Sogaku Harada Roshi and that was brought to the west by Roshi Philip Kapleau. You find more about zen, our teachers and our lineage at the home pages of Rochester Zen Center and Stockholm Zen Center.

I do not Rev. Laitinen's background and teachings, however, so I cannot be specific as to his emphasis.